Thanksgiving 2013 in Cameroon

Thanking God for the opportunity to support Bible translation in Cameroon and for family, friends, partners who support and encourage me in my service here.

I used this scripture in both my "Thanks Living' Chapel programs and will use in Bible Club... one of my 'life scriptures' year round, through the years.

 My contribution to Thanksgiving dinner was Grandma Bertie Snowden's apple dumplings recipe that Mom also made. No electricity from mid-morning until 7:20 p.m. (caused by a fallen pole this time). Windows and doors were open...my hair was wet before I took a shower.  Applying this key scripture verse--I am extremely thankful for a gas stove year round since the electricity goes off often.

Though I've made this three generation recipe dozens of times, I felt the need to do a trial run because making several adaptations to ingredients available in Cameroon and a different oven.  (Missionaries agree that cooking here is often trial and error!) My teaching colleagues eagerly volunteered to be guinea pig taste testers, Thankful the apple dumplings turned out well both times...not exactly the same, but my new friends don't  know what was different.

My 2013 Thanksgiving dinner group...wonderful fellowship and great food. We all missed our blood relatives, but all grateful for God's big family around the world. This dinner included one German, one Canadian, and three other American family units.

So thankful for good cell phone reception...I later enjoyed talking with both sisters in the United States.

For Preschool Storytime Thanks Giving session "Show and Tell" at The Greenhouse, A Learning Center for Missionary Children...youngsters were invited to bring something for which they are thankful. Two girls carried up a younger sibling. Ruth Noren holds Esther (left) and Lina Cone holds Luca (right).

I strongly believe in THANKS LIVING; a favorite I've shared for years expressing this perspective:

Count your blessings instead of your crosses;

Count your gains instead of your losses.

Count your joys instead of your woes.

Count your friends instead of your foes.

Count your smiles instead instead of your tears;

Count your courage instead of your fears.

Count your full years instead of your lean;

Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.

Count your health instead of your wealth;

Count on God instead of yourself.